The End
THANK YOU to each and every one of you who helped me write this novel. It was hands-down one of the hardest things I’d ever written because I was so busy getting married and moving. So, thank you to the people who put in the hours to ensure I got through this book and helped every step of the way: Jessica Carnes, Rebecca Kimmerling, Diana Peterfreund, Lori Francis, Polly Matthews, Christy Peckham, Katie Miller, Lauren Blakely, all the girls of FYW, Jovana Shirley of Unforeseen Editing, Sarah Hansen of Okay Creations, Jenn Sterling, and many, many more!
K.A. LINDE is the USA Today bestselling author of the Avoiding series and the All That Glitters series as well as seven additional novels.
She grew up as a military brat traveling the United States and even landing for a brief stint in Australia.
She has a master’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia and is the current head coach of the Duke University dance team.
An avid traveler, reader, and bargain hunter, K.A. currently lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with her husband and two super adorable puppies.
K.A. Linde loves to hear from her readers!
You can contact her at kalinde45@gmail.com or visit her online at one of the following sites:
www.kalinde.com
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@authorkalinde
OTHER TITLES BY K.A. LINDE
AVOIDING SERIES
Avoiding Commitment (#1)
Avoiding Responsibility (#2)
Avoiding Intimacy (#2.5)
Avoiding Decisions (#1.5)
Avoiding Temptation (#3)
RECORD SERIES
Off the Record
On the Record
For the Record
TAKE ME DUET
Take Me for Granted
Take Me with You
ALL THAT GLITTERS SERIES
Diamonds
Gold
Emeralds
ASCENSION SERIES
The Affiliate
STAND-ALONE
Following Me
TURN THE PAGE TO REVEAL THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE CONCLUSION TO TRIHN’S STORY IN:
PLATINUM
RELEASING SPRING 2016!
READ THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE ALL THAT GLITTERS SERIES HERE:
BRYNA’S STORY
Diamonds (#1)
Gold (#2)
TRIHN’S STORY
Platinum (#3)
STACIA’S STORY
Silver (#4)
THIS WAS A VERY BAD IDEA.
Trihn’s sighed heavily as she stared at the name on the screen of her phone and avoided the knowing looks from her best friends, Bryna and Stacia.
“Just don’t invite him,” Bryna said irritably.
“I’m not inviting him,” Trihn snapped back.
Trihnity Hamilton had been dating her boyfriend, Neal, for over a year and a half. They had met and fell for each other over their mutual love for artistic endeavors. He was a graphic design major while she studied fashion design with a focus in art. Unfortunately, that lifestyle didn’t exactly fit with Trihn’s love for partying.
Or so Neal said.
Frankly, Bryna flat out hated him, and at this point Stacia barely tolerated him. The disconnect between the two most important things in her life, her friends and her boyfriend, was causing some…unnecessary strain.
“I’m just going to answer this and then we can go,” Trihn said. She turned away from her friends before anyone could say anything to change her mind. And she knew Bryna would try.
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” Trihn heard Bryna say to Stacia behind her back.
“Leave it be, Bri,” Stacia said.
Trihn took a breath and answered the phone with forced enthusiasm. “Hey!”
“Hey, what are you up to tonight?” Neal asked.
Trihn twirled her long brown-to-blonde ombre around her finger and tried to calm herself down. She was not going to argue with Neal tonight. Not about going to the club for a girl’s night. He’d understand.
He would.
She would just keep telling herself that.
Her stomach knotted anyway. Twisting and turning against her will as fear crept up her spine. No matter how much she tried to tamp it down, it just slithered its way back up.
She took a deep breath. “I was just about to head out with Bri and Stacia. We’re going to this club that’s having some kind of crazy dance party…”
“Let me guess,” he said dryly. “Bryna’s suggestion?”
“Maya actually!” she said, trying to keep pep in her voice. “She’s meeting us there later after she gets off work.”
Maya was their favorite bartender at the local bar they frequented, Posse. It was located just off the Las Vegas State campus where Trihn was starting the second semester of her sophomore year.
“I see. Well, never mind then.”
“I would totally invite you,” Trihn insisted. Bryna coughed noisily behind her. Trihn swiveled around and glared at her and Stacia. “But…it’s a girl’s night. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were getting back early. I should have checked with your schedule.”
Stacia snorted and shook her head. Bryna looked like she was ready to rip the phone out of her hand and tell Neal exactly what he could do with his schedule.
“It’s fine, Trihn. I was just going to see if I could come over since I just got back from San Francisco.”
“I know,” she whispered.
Over winter break, Neal had had an internship for graphic design in San Francisco, where his parents lived. It was a continuation of his work from last summer. She had only seen him for a couple days when her parents had flown him out to New York City for New Year’s.
He had gotten back to Las Vegas two days early. She had thought he wouldn’t be in town until the Sunday before school started, but his parents had decided otherwise. She felt bad that she already had plans and would have run over there in a heartbeat, but Maya never got out of work to hang out with them. She couldn’t pass up the opportunity. She figured she would just see Neal tomorrow and all would be fine.
“So,” she said softly.
The silence stretched between them as she waited for him to say something. She bit her lip and fought against the growing awkwardness in their relationship. When he had visited her only a couple weeks ago, things had been strange. He’d been more interested in getting to know her sister, Lydia, than spending time with Trihn. She and Lydia still had a strained relationship after what had happened post high school graduation, and it didn’t help that Trihn had another boyfriend who seemed enamored by Lydia.